Monthly Archives: December 2013

Over the next few months, we will bring you an inside look at what happens behind the scenes at BGR. Topics will cover everything from General Aviation to Marketing to Fuel and areas in between, but with the start of winter right around the corner, we wanted to introduce you to the team that keeps BGR open and our runways safe: Airfield Maintenance.

Recently, I sat down with Marty Kelly-Airfield Maintenance Supervisor to discuss how he and the team he leads are getting ready for the upcoming winter season. The Snow Team as they are commonly referred to has gained recognition the last three winters as award recipients at the AAAE Snow Symposium. The following is from our Q&A:

Lisa: “Marty, how long have you worked here at BGR?”
Marty: “Twenty-one years, and all of that time has been right here in Airfield Maintenance.”

Lisa: “Marty, what do you like about your job?”
Marty: “I love my job, I like the people I work with-we have a great crew, and every day is different.”

Lisa: “In your time here, how many times has the runway closed due to weather?”
Marty: “In my time here, the runway has never closed!”

Lisa: “In a typical storm, how long does it take to plow the runway?”
Marty: “In a typical storm, with the right equipment and enough personnel, we can clear the runway in fifteen minutes.”

Lisa: “Marty, what’s the biggest challenge you have ever encountered working here?”
Marty: “Eight or nine years ago, we had a storm where it was snowing two inches an hour from 12pm-6am. We were getting in a lot of diversions, and worked really hard to make the runways safe to land and to clear enough ramp space for them to park.”

We are very proud of the work the Snow Team does to keep BGR open and the fact that our runway doesn’t close because of weather. Most often, when there is a delay or cancellation on our flight information display system (FIDs) it is because of bad weather and runway conditions at the destination. We work really hard to make sure everyone is safe whether to land or take off. Make sure you check your flight schedule before traveling to the airport, just in case your flight has already been delayed or canceled.”

We look forward to giving you a behind the scenes look into BGR. If you want us to cover a particular topic, email us at admin@flybangor.com!